What is a Dark Past, Anyway?
by Kolbie Ru-Ru
Summary: In which Rin and Shima ponder the intricacies of pasts and why people are so interested in them. AU (though Canon does make an appearance). Shima/Rin!Friendship. Humor, mostly.


Exhausted and surrounded on all sides, a red-clothed man uses the last of his strength to ensure victory as he cautiously lights the fuse and tosses the weapon, adrenaline muffling the newly-made ticking noise as his comrade pilots the vessel and vaults over the white line.

On the other side of the screen, two faces, blue-tinted from flourescent lighting, gaze in astonishment before the pink-haired individual glances once, twice at the boy beside him, a smug grin creeping into his expression.

"Hell yeah!"

"What?!"

The winner, Shima, chuckles at his companion's pout and leans back, hands resting on the back of his head, game paused for the time being. "Heh, what was that about 'kicking my ass into next week'?" The teasing lilt in his voice does little to remove the aforementioned pout.

"...You got lucky." Rin, the (sore) loser, crosses his arms and and determinedly faces the opposite direction.

"Uh-huh," Shima's grin merely widens before he pokes his black-haired companion and provokes yet another Mario Karts match.

.

.

.

Several hours later finds the boys on the roof of the house, soaking up the warmth of the summer sun and resting in comfortable silence.

Shima, of course, inevitably breaks it. "Hey, I've been thinking..."

Observing his friend from the corner of his eye, he retorts with a snort, "You've been thinking? The Apocalypse must not be so far off after all."

Rolling his eyes and wisely choosing to ignore the taunt, the teen bravely continues, "What is a 'Dark Past', exactly?"

Surprised by the, admittedly, odd question, Rin sits up and looks down at his companion questioningly, "What?"

Sighing rather dejectedly and looking for all the world as if Rin were the one who'd gone insane and needed a 'talking-to', Shima meets his gaze and elaborates, "You know how movies and books and even fanfiction now-a-days keep alluding to this mysterious time in a person's life known as a 'Dark Past'?" He waits until the boy nods before speaking again, "What _is_ it? And why is it so damn special?"

Comprehension dawns on the blue-eyed boy's face before he voices his agreement. "Yeah, now that you mention it... I _have _seen that phrase pop up an awful lot lately."

"I know! It's drivin' me nuts!" He throws his hands up, narrowly avoiding Rin's face, to emphasize his point. "Media today is all like 'How will so-and-so deal with this situation when his/her Dark Past comes to bite them in the rear?' or 'Can love still flourish when the main love interest learns of the protagonist's Dark Past?' What the _hell_?! Who cares?"

Caught up in his best friend's energy, perhaps, Rin nods enthusiastically right along and tacks on, "Yeah, isn't the whole point of a 'Dark Past' to provide characterization? It's not supposed to encompass the entire story. The main plot gets blown to hell when there are so many flashbacks no one knows what the story's even supposed to be about anymore."

Hands waving about wildly, Shima throws out, "Exactly! And what's with shoving all of this 'Dark Past' business into our faces right off the bat, anyway? How can it _be_ mysterious when we _know_ the character's past is 'dark'? Frankly, I'd rather _not_ know so that maybe the whole 'Dark Past' strategy can actually work its magic and surprise me."

"Why not go all the way and just not have a 'Dark Past' to begin with?" Rin points out, realization dominating his features. "That would be much more interesting."

Shima's face goes slack as the idea sinks in, and he quickly goes to shake Rin's shoulders excitedly as a grin breaks out. "Rin, my old friend, you are a genius!"

Before Rin can even right himself and reply, Shima goes on to say, "What are we doing?! We can't keep this to ourselves! We must tell everyone!"

The pink-haired boy grabs the other's wrist and takes off to the window, the roof's only (safe, idiot-proof) exit, and into the world beyond.

.

.

.

Somewhere, sometime, in a completely different dimension, alternate versions of said boys shiver for reasons unbeknownst to themselves.

"Ne, Rin, did you just feel a... chill?"

"Yeah, what? Did you?"

Nod. "...And I suddenly feel as if I'm being frowned upon for my childhood."

"Me, too! Wow, that's crazy. Must be working too hard or somethin'."

"Probably. ...Hey, do you think Bon would-"

"Not a chance."

"But we've been at it for _hours_."

"He's _your_ friend."

"Ahhhhh, life is too cruel."

Soft laughter. "Couldn't agree with you more."


End file.
